St. Louis Cardinals World Series Replica Rings Now For Sale on eBay

They've earned several throughout the years but perhaps none more unexpected or exciting than this one. The St. Louis Cardinals World Series rings were handed out during the team's first homestand of 2012. The new ring has a bit of historic symmetry to it. Won in 2011, it was also the team’s 11th World Championship. The ring honors the 2011 team but also pays tribute to the ten Cardinals championships that preceded it. The rings were delivered earlier in the week by Jostens, a leading designer and producer of custom championship jewelry. Now, the Cardinals World Series replica rings are for sale on eBay as fans look to cash in on a freebie.

Fans got to share in the excitement of the ring ceremony when the team handed out souvenir rings during a special promotion to coincide with the on field event. The team didn't skimp, either. The Cardinals 2011 World Series ring replicas are selling for good money (check them out here).

“We worked hard to design a ring that would tell the epic story of 2011 and also pay tribute to the great history of the franchise,” said Bill DeWitt III, team president and also a sports collector.

The top of the ring features the classic Cardinal bird-on-bat crafted out of faceted red rubies and surrounded by a 14 karat yellow gold frame that brings out the deep red color in the authentic rubies. The rest of the ring is made of 14 karat white gold. Surrounding the bird on top is a field of 103 round diamonds. The words “WORLD CHAMPIONS” frame the iconic insignia with diamonds set behind words which is a first in championship ring design.

One ring side features the player’s name, jersey number and a ruby-filled “StL” emblem surrounded by the World Series leaf treatment that was used in the 2011 version of the MLB Fall Classic logo. This ring side also features the “Rally Squirrel” jumping over home plate which was a positive omen to players and fans in last year’s playoffs.

The opposite side of the ring features Busch Stadium’s Gate 3 bridge including the famous Musial Statue underneath with a ruby-embellished “11” sitting above the phrase “World Series Titles”. The years 1926, 1931, 1934, 1942, 1944, 1946, 1964, 1967, 1982 and 2006 are displayed on the bottom shank of the ring to give prominence to the team’s 10 previous World Series titles and connect this year’s team with the earlier Cardinals World Series champion teams.

Intricate and custom engraving on the underside of each ring enhances the distinct and one-of-a-kind design. This engraving shows the three playoff series scores from the playoffs and ends with the phrase “Happy Flight” below them. Fans will remember the phrase as a common refrain in the clubhouse as the team won an uncanny number of games at the end of road trips during the second half of the 2011 season. Dozens of the Cardinals World Series replica rings have already been offered online, going for as much as $175 each. Prices came down as more fans began to offer the rings.